Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish the policy rationale for the reduction to the NHS England hospital bed stock between January 2010 and January 2020.

The number of hospital beds provided is an operational matter for National Health Service commissioners and providers. NHS trusts will make decisions on their bed stock based on the demand within the local population and other factors such as the increase in the proportion of elective care day cases over time, which reduces the number of hospital beds required for overnight stays. Accounting for the impact of the pandemic, the number of NHS general and acute hospital beds has remained relatively stable from 2015/16, at around 102,000 beds.

The NHS is working hard to deliver their winter plan, increasing hospital bed capacity by the equivalent of 7,000 beds. In addition, under the Delivery plan for recovering urgent and emergency care services published on 30 January sets a further 5,000 new beds will be established in 2023/24, alongside expanded use of virtual wards so that up to 50,000 patients a month can benefit from them. This is backed by a £1 billion dedicated fund.